From Blowouts To Just Plain Boring: The Top 10 Worst Super Bowls

There have been over fifty Super Bowls played during the 100-year history of the NFL, and even though the NFL’s world championship game usually pits two very good if not the two best teams in the league, the game hasn’t always been a good one.

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In fact, there have been some absolute duds in years past, recently and beyond. Some games didn’t match the hype, while others were just plain awful from the start. It’s never a good sign when people are talking about the commercials instead of the actual game.

On that note, let’s take a look at the 10 worst super bowls ever.

10. Super Bowl LIII, 2019

New England Patriots 13, Los Angeles Rams 3

Let’s get the recency bias out of the way early. We’re only a year removed from this absolute dog of a Super Bowl but I have a feeling it’ll be on “Worst of” lists for years to come. The prolific offense that was the 2018-19 Rams was a complete no-show (3 points?!), and the Patriots offense was microscopically better. The defenses came to play, but who wants to see that in a Super Bowl? Half of the Patriots essentially apologized for winning, and the Rams just apologized. This is all you need to know: there were 14 punts, the score was 3-3 going into the fourth quarter, and Maroon 5 played the halftime. Terrible game.

9. Super Bowl XLVIII, 2014

Seattle Seahawks 43, Denver Broncos 8

The first of many blowouts on this list, this game was a snoozefest from the jump for everyone outside of the Pacific Northwest--so 90% of the country. This game was ​never c​ ompetitive, the Seahawks jumping on top after the ​first ​play from scrimmage (a safety) en route to lapping the Broncos with the 36-0 lead late into the third quarter. This was only the third time up until this point that two 1-seeds had met in the Super Bowl, which made this dumpster fire of a game even worse. Quick, name the game’s MVP! Even if I told you it was someone named Malcolm Smith, you’d have no idea who he was even if he walked into your home wearing a shirt saying “I’m Malcolm Smith”.

8. Super Bowl XXIV, 1990

San Francisco 49ers 55, Denver Broncos 10

The Broncos had a proud history of making and getting getting blown out in Super Bowls up until finally winning a couple in the late ‘90s. They made four Super Bowls from 1977-1990, and this one was the cherry on top of the sundae of pitiful performances. Though Denver came in allowing a league-low 14.1 points per game, the 49ers had one of the greatest offensive seasons in the history of the game. They scored those 14.1 points the second they stepped off the team bus en route to a 27-3 halftime lead. Then the fun began. The Niners poured it on in the second half and that was without Super Bowl MVP Joe Montana playing the final eleven minutes. A snuff film masquerading as a football game.

7. Super Bowl XXVII, 1993

Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

Only the Bills could challenge the Broncos decade of ineptitude and actually surpass it. This was the third of four ​consecutive ​Super Bowl losses, and easily the worst of them all. The game started out great, with three touchdowns in the first quarter and Dallas holding just a 14-7 lead. After that it was all Dallas, all the time. They outscored Buffalo 38-10 the rest of the way, helped along by ​nine ​Buffalo turnovers, including two fumbles that were returned for touchdowns. Adding injury to insult, Bills quarterback Jim Kelly left the game with an injury in the second quarter and wasn’t even around for most of this mess.

6. Super Bowl XXIX, 1995

San Francisco 49ers 49, San Diego Chargers 26

The Niners came into this one as the biggest point-spread favorites (18.5) in Super Bowl history. They didn’t disappoint--49ers fans. Another one that was over before it started, the just-happy-to-be-there-because-they-lucked-into-the-Super Bowl Chargers played like a team on a South beach vacation, because they were. Steve Young threw for ​six ​touchdowns en route to the Niners almost hanging a 50 burger on San Diego. To be honest, the game wasn’t as close as the final 23-point differential indicated.

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5. Super Bowl V, 1971

Baltimore Colts 16, Dallas Cowboys 13

Let’s take a ride in the way-back machine for this one. The fact that this game is to this day known as the “Blunder Bowl” should tell you all you need to know. Yes the score was close, and yes the Colts won on a field goal with five seconds remaining, but everything up until that point was painful to watch. The teams combined for a Super Bowl-record 11 turnovers. The first Super Bowl after the AFL-NFL merger became official was so bad that the MVP of the game was a linebacker from the losing team. Probably because both offenses were so anemic.

4. Super Bowl XX, 1986

Chicago Bears 46, New England Patriots 10

This one was best known for the Bears’ iconic “Super Bowl Shuffle” video, which was essentially them calling their shot that they were going to win the Super Bowl--​a month before the season ended. ​Most opponents would’ve seen that song and video as bulletin board material, but the Patriots didn’t seem very interested in making any crow for the Bears to eat. The Bears vaunted defense had a field day, and their offense got big plays from quarterback Jim McMahon to roll to victory. The most exciting moment of the game happened when 350-plus pound Bears defensive lineman William “Refrigerator” Perry scored a rushing touchdown after the game was all but decided.

3. Super Bowl XXXVII, 2003

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 48, Oakland Raiders 21

After the shock wore off that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers actually made a Super Bowl, it came right back again once those same Buccaneers started dismantling the favored Raiders. Not often do you see the underdog on the winning side of a blowout Super Bowl win, but here we are. The Bucs intercepted five Rich Gannon passes, returning three of them for pick sixes, on their way to a 27-point rout. Bucs head coach Jon Gruden, traded to Tampa Bay, i.e. dumped, by the Raiders in the previous season gets the last laugh.

2. Super Bowl XXV, 2001

Baltimore Ravens 34, New York Giants 7

This game had back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns--unfortunately for the Giants that would be their only touchdown on the day, and unfortunately for this game, one of the few memorable things about it. The Ravens stifling defense forced the Giants into a record 11 punts and intercepted Kerry Collins a record four times. The Ravens offense didn’t light the world on fire either, but this was all about the Ravens defense, which went down as one of the all-time greatest.

1. Super Bowl IV, 1970

Kansas City Chiefs 23, Minnesota Vikings 7

Last and least, in honor of the Chiefs being in Super Bowl LIV, we have our “winner”. The Vikes began their run of four Super Bowl appearances (all losses) in the ‘70s with this one, and they came into the game 12-point favorites. No matter, as the Chiefs dominated from the start, leading 16-0 at halftime on the way to an easy victory. Minnesota turning the ball over five times, including three interceptions, didn’t make things any easier for themselves. This game was notable for being the final “AFL-NFL World Championship Game”. Also, it was the first time a head coach had been mic'd up for a Super Bowl. Two tidbits that are way more interesting than the game.

*Credit to the main photos of this article belong to Julio Cortez/Associated Press (Seahawks), Patrick Semansky/Associated Press (Rams), Lawrence Jackson/Associated Press (Bucs).

FIRST PUBLISHED: 27th January 2020